Ao Oni – 16 Years Later |

Publisher: noprops

Developer: noprops

Release Date: 11/2008

Available Exclusively On

I’m not quite sure what to make of this game. It’s barely even that. Until recently, I had never heard of Ao Oni, despite it having a huge cult following and inspiring novels, manga, and shows. The game’s history and follow-up seem more interesting than the game itself. While this was made in RPGMaker XP, there is a surprisingly haunting atmosphere present, and the infamous demon himself is unique and original.

You play the role of Hiroshi, a boy who investigates a haunted mansion with his friends, and suddenly everyone starts disappearing. This was a popular manga trope back in the day. A bunch of generic, run-of-the-mill teens enter a house, school, or building, and you start investigating a series of labrynthine hallways and rooms that lead nowhere, solve puzzles, and find objects. Corpse Party reminds me of this game quite a bit, as it’s in the same vein. The game’s demons aren’t exactly spot-on. I can’t expect much from a small group of developers. The visuals are very basic and rudimentary. Even for an RPGMaker game. There is no backstory for any character in the game. There’s nothing to read or learn about what is going on. This game has a raw and pure atmosphere.

The game’s most tense moments occur during triggered chase events. The Ao Oni will chase you for a beneficial 10 seconds and stop. Usually, when you pick up an object, it can advance you to another part of the mansion. There are few scripted events. These typically occur when you encounter another character and initiate a brief dialogue sequence. Why the Ao Oni and haunting don’t have more backstory is beyond me. There’s a serious missed opportunity here. The game’s music helps contribute to the atmosphere—or lack thereof. Some rooms are dead silent, adding to the tension, and while the same audio tracks play throughout the entirety of the game, they are tense and help add to what is going on.

These types of games often feature puzzles that are rather obtuse. I highly recommend playing with a guide the first time around. You can finish the entire game in less than two hours. There is a lot of effort involved in pressing Enter on every object. Most rooms are barren, and the few that aren’t have interactive objects. You may need to move aside a bookcase or an odd-looking block at times. Once you solve the puzzles, you’ll find their clever design surprising for such a limited game engine.

Overall, Ao Oni’s legacy is more intriguing than the game itself. The goofy-looking purple demons aren’t really that scary, but the atmosphere and music in the game are haunting and well done. I wish there was more story to the game, as we have zero reason to care for anyone here. Despite the puzzles’ obscure nature necessitating a guide to alleviate frustration, a guide enhances the enjoyment of the game.